PRELUDE
'Breif Intro' After a year of studies at Pyke, all three of you have become very close friends. You spend your days reading ancient tomes and texts in long dead languages trying to understand the finer points of your arcane talent. Scottwyn is forced to study heavy tomes covering animal anatomy, trapping n tracking, and even Archery Physics. Once a Week you go out into the main courtyard with the other 130 students and are forced to put on combative clinics. Edwyn is seriousily impressed with your improvement. You know nothing of the outside world, all you are concerned with is honing your craft and finally being able to leave Pyke and show the world that had once forsaken who the new sherriff in town is... '1.The fall of Oldavia' One day, while studying out in the warm sun soaked cobblestone paddock of the Pyke Academy High Garden you begin to smell the overwhelming stench of burning timber. While this doesn’t exactly catch your attention directly, the earth rumbling concussive explosion of a wizards spell and the following orange fireball that bubbles up into the clear blue sky, leaving a black shaft of smoke behind it, not only catches your attention but the attention of every City Watch Bell tower within miles. '' ''Within seconds, this peaceful, serene day is turned into one of absolute chaos. Under the cacophony of clanging bells you can hear the screams and pleas of those being murdered and tortured outside the academy in the streets of Oldavia. It seems a full fledged uprising is taking place. '' ''You return to your chambers, as per instruction where Drexel is already waiting, his posesssions packed and ready to go… “Get your things. This isn’t just some brigand revolt. There is a full fledged war taking place out there” As you Pack your things the Academy’s headmaster bursts into the room. '' ''“They are getting close. The guard can hold them off for a bit but they are amassing in the thousands. Get your things and go. Do NOT wear any of your pyke academy gear. They will see it and take you for a highborn and likely tear you apart. Please, Drexel, Watch over these 2. It’s very important…” He hands you both a piece of jade carved in the shape of a skull with squid tenticles protruding from it’s mouth. '' ''“You go to the Eastern Harbor, find a ship called THE SEASTRIDER and give these to the captain. He will take you away from here and to somewhere safe…” And with that he swiftly makes his exit leaving the door open behind him. 'E1 - SKILL TRAINING' "From an inconspicous side door out of Pyke Academy you poke your head out and make sure the coast is clear. Eastern Harbor is about 4 city blocks (maybe 350 yards in total) away. The air stinks of burnt hair and wood and is thick with a choking haze. You quickly make your way out onto the main avenue ,The streets are filled with peasents carrying torches, farming tools, and other makeshift implements of destruction. You begin making your way down the crowded street hoping you can find your way as soon as possible." *FIND YOUR WAY AROUND **'SURVIVAL DC 10': Figure out which direction you are going and where you need to go. **'KNOWLEDGE(LOCAL) DC 15': A success here shows you know your way around a bit and will automatically get you to the next challange **Anyone who asks questions about where the sun is, or anything pertaining to finding your way about without a compass gets an automatic +2 on their survival check. *SEE A WAY OUT **'Perception DC 10:' **"Finally after about 50 yards of pushing through the crowd you can see an alleyway ahead of you that cuts east towards the harbor. Suddenly, a large bedraggled and filthy old man carrying a pitch fork extends his arm and points at you 3." "As you make your way against the flowing current of malnourished, sickly looking rioters, eyes begin to focus on you. The more you pick up your pace, the more the mob seems to be paying attention to your every move. You begin to grow nervous as the crowd begins to sort of form a wall in front of you." *'Old Man:' "OI! Those 3 right there... I tink dey a cuppla highborn pyker types! Get the slaver lovin sunzabitches!" *To escape, the PC's Must succeed at at least 2-3 of the challenges to break through to the alleyway *ESCAPE! *'First you must break through the wall of people that have now surrounded you using...' **'ESCAPE ARTIST DC 16'break through the mob of angry grabbing hands to the next challenge. **'BLUFF DC 20,' Convince the crowd you aren't from the academy **'DIPLOMACY DC 18', Convince crowd to move on to another destination. **'DISGUISE DC 17' (Leads to a BLUFF DC 8 Check), Convince crowd youre someone else. **'INTIMIDATE DC 15', Intimidate crowd into letting you by. (+2-4 depending on if you use prestidigitation or any magical effects/weaponry) **'PERFORM DC 17', Entertain crowd into letting you by. *ESCAPE IN AN AWESOME WAY! **'Perception DC 15' You can see a climbable trellace about 60' to your NE that would allow you to get atop a 3' wide stone fence that seperates the mob from a courtyard on the next block. If you could climb the trellace and run across the fence you could easily rush past the mob and get to the alley way that heads to the Eastern Harbor." **'If they succeed at the spot go immediatly to the challenge. They only have to complete 2 in a row to get out. If they fail to spot the trellace, they must succeed at 3 in a row of the challenges to escape.' **'CLIMB DC 12 '''15' Climb up the trellace then balance across the fence well out of the mob's reach. **'Acrobatics DC 15''' To cross the trellace quickly enough to escape **'If you fall attempting either of these things, you can use ESCAPE ARTIST DC 10, Or even Intimidate, or whatever to break away from the mob and attempt it again. If caught by the mob, PC's can attempt WHATEVER to get loose. If they keep failing the initial climb/balance checks, just let them get through using one of the others.' **'SURVIVAL', If PC's ask, you can use your survival ranks to add to any of the above rolls. 'E2 - COMBAT TRAINING' Combat Encounter 2. Setting Sail For Adventure "As you reach the end of the alleyway the chorus of ringing bells and screams seems to be drowned out by the sound of crashing waves, sea birds, and ship horns. Once out of the alley you are once again bathed in the warm spring sunshine which does very little to warm your bodies against the frigid air blowing in from the Sea. All 3 of you now stand on the solid granite walk of the Eastern Harbor, straight ahead to the East, long wood and stone docks, now empty, are littered with all sorts of scraps and rubbish. '' You scan'' the harbor from North to South seeing only a few ships still in port. Out on the sea, several galleys are making there way out of the harbor and into the sea, even further out, the horizon line is peppered with dozens of dark specks of fleeing ships that had left hours before. '' About 500 yards from where you stand, to the North, you notice a galleon with black sails and no flag. You can see it's crew scrambling to load the vessel and prepare the ship for escape. To the South you see several Gallerons al of which are either destroyed, or have flags that don't match the description your master at pyke had given you. Behind you thick pillars of black smoke twist and curl high into the blue sky creating a very distinct haze over the entire city. You can even see flames spitting upwards from the spires of the Oldavian Citadel, where the noble lords of the city live and operate. As your eyes dart around, analyzing your options. You notice shadowy figures, alot of them, beginning to advance towards you from the other end of the alley. You have some time before they reach you, but they WILL be reaching you soon." '''What do you wanna do?' "As you quickly discuss your options, you notice a flag slowly being raised up the central mast of the large caravel to the North. From what you can see it's black, the wind has it wrapped up... But as it reaches the top, it unfurls revealing a skull with tentacles protruding from it's mouth." "You quickly make your way down the pier towards the caravel. As you get closer you notice it's derelict and dilapitated condition, the hull is covered in barnacles and rot, the masts seem to be from another ship entirely, and the sails are patched together from a rainbow assortment of materials and cloths. You come to the ship's bow, about 60' ahead of you several rag tag, haggard looking salty dogs are loading the few wooden crates from the dock onto the ship. Suddenly from directly behind you a rough and weathered voice :" *'Cutcutter:' "Can i help thee find yer way?" "You turn, startled, to find the scarred and pock marked face of a ruggedly handsome and sharply chiseled elven man. He smiles revealing several gold teeth his one good eye, bright blue and intense, looking you all up and down. His other eye is covered by a black leather eyepatch adorned with red and green gems." *Pc's can explain their mission and handover the gem now *'Cutcutter:' "Edwynd that old bastard. Well he must think thoust is quite important to give up deez beauties. I'll letcha on 'ere but you gon have to give a hand when needed. Were short due to our 2 deck'ands getting plugged by the pointy end of a couple arrows trying to steal all da stuff we just loaded. So 'eres the deal. You help out when needed, you don't bitch or complain, and you don't disobey me order... then we gota deal. The second i catch you stealing from me, or fucking around in ANYWAY, we'll cut you up and feed ya to the dire sharks... By the way, I'm Aranuol Cutcutter, Lord of the Seastriders, welcome to 'ell." "With that he motions for you to follow him up the plank and onto the ship. You climb over the railing onto the main deck where a few begrimed sailors take care of the last minute preperations. Aranuol cups his hands over his mouth and with a thundering, powerful voice, commands: "RAISE THE ANCHOR, PREPARE FOR LAUNCH, LETS GET DA FUCK OUTTA HERE, EY BOYS!?". His command is met with a chorus of cheers and 'aye aye's. He introduces you to a thin, smug looking, strawberry blonde haired half-elven man." *'Cutcutter:' "Right 'ere is Allyn one of da best 'tieves I've ever come across. Been wif the 'Striders for about a year now. 'ell show ya round and where you can putcha tings... Allyn?" *'Allyn: (Sarcastically)' "Mmmm yes of course captain. Anything you say." '' The Half-elf looks at you all with a smirk and then quicky turns away making a snyde comment under his breath. "Right this way..." he says, as he cuts across the deck towards the back of the ship. He leads you into what looks like a 30' wide shanty erected on the ship's'' deck. As you enter it the ship begins to move sending your stomach into a strange acrobatic dance. None of you have been on a ship, and if you have, it's been a LONG time. '' Allyn leads you down a flight of wooden stairs into the belly of the ship which is severly compact and claustorphobic. He gives you all a quick tour showing you the cargo holds on the lowest deck, then the mess area and cannon holds on the second deck, then finally, closest to the ship's top main deck, he shows you the common area and crew quarters. He brings you 3 to a set of shabby, unkempt, and just plain filthy bunks in the back of the crew quarters. "These are yours..." he says in a very rude tone. He then turns and begins to leave the room, but just before crossing the threshold he turns and says. "Supper is at sundown. Get yer things put away then meet us on the top deck. We'll need your help ina bit."... then he dissapears into the hall.'' ***Introduce PC's to the Seastriders